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From the editor’s desk

April 9, 2012

I hope each and everyone of you had a blessed Easter filled with the love of family and friends. It was a beautiful spring day, and it always does my heart good to drive by a home and see several vehicles parked out front. I know there is a family/friend gathering going on inside, and I know memories are being made. Hope Easter 2012 was a special one for you ...

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So what’s the BigDeal? The Bureau County Republican’s BigDeals! are announced every Tuesday and give you the opportunity to save some cash with area merchants. You can find our BigDeals! on our website at www.bcrnews.com. This week’s deals are:

• It’s the perfect time for this BigDeal! Get $20 worth of merchandise at the Seatonville Greenhouse for only $10.

• Need to lose a few pounds before shorts and swimsuit weather? Get a monthly membership at Anytime Fitness in Princeton for only $18 — regularly priced at $36.

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Have you been looking for an affordable activity for your children on Saturday afternoon? I just may have the answer for you. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to take a look around the Sheffield Pride Arts Center, which shows a kids’ movie every Saturday afternoon at 1:15 p.m. (All movies are Rated G or PG.) The place is really cool. With theater seats, a high-definition screen, surround sound and more. I have to tell you I was really impressed.

But get a load of this ... It’s free. No kidding. There is no charge to attend. Even the popcorn is free too, and everyone is encouraged to bring their own drink to enjoy during the movie. You can call the center at 815-454-4018 to see what’s playing every Saturday. Children 8 years old and under should have a parent or an older sibling with them.

The center is a work in progress and has been a labor of love by Sheffield resident Dr. Rick Cernovich, who encourages children from all around to come and enjoy a free movie and popcorn. If you’re bringing your children, there’s plenty to do while they’re watching the movie ... enjoy lunch in Sheffield, get your groceries, shop in one of the stores ... It’s a win/win afternoon for everyone. Have fun!

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Checkered Flag Challenge: The track was quiet this past weekend as the guys got a week off to celebrate Easter with their families. Now it’s off to Motor Speedway and time for some high speed racing in the great state of Texas. If you are not registered to play our Checkered Flag Challenge, you can still get in on the action. Log onto www.bcrnews.com and click on the contest tab. There are great prizes each week and at the end of the racing season — where passes to Michigan and Chicagoland will be up for grabs for our three overall winners at the end of the season. Create your team today, and maybe you’ll be in the running in November.

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The BCR Open: Bubba Watson won The Masters this past weekend with 11 under par and after a tearful win, he donned the famous green jacket that Masters’ contenders dream about ... Now, the circuit is heading to South Carolina for the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head. If you enjoy our contests, here is another one that is quick and easy to play. You pick your Top 10 golfers for each tournament for a chance to win a prize for each tournament and the overall grand prize at the end of the season. Log on to www.bcrnews.com and click on the contest tab to get registered today for The BCR Open. Good Luck!

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Wedding Sweepstakes: There are four ways to win great prizes in this contest. Log on to www.bcrnews.com and click on the contest tab. Each contest has a separate icon to register and play. Two of our online contests are only for brides to be.

The Registration Contest is just that — register your information, and you are entered to win a prize worth $250.

The second way for brides to win is with our Engagement Picture/Essay Contest. Enter your engagement photo and a short essay. Then when the voting period begins, get your friends and family to log in and vote for your photo and essay. Winner receives a prize package worth $1,000.

The third online contest is for mothers and mothers-in-law. Moms can register and enter a photo of their own wedding, and then family and friends can vote for your wedding photo. Winner of the Moms’ Contest gets a $100 prize.

There are three ways to win online, plus one entry was in the Saturday, March 31 issue of the BCR in the Wedding Sweepstakes section. Have fun with these Wedding Sweepstakes!

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Thought for the day: “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” Albert Einstein.

Thought for tomorrow: “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games; 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Michael Jordan.

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Just a reminder: The BCR enjoys publishing your photos of your special events. While we’d like to come to each and every activity around Bureau County, it’s just not possible. In lieu of our attendance, we encourage you to snap your own photos and email them to us, along with information about the event and who is in the photo, so others can learn about your event. Send your photos/information to news@bcrnews.com or contact BCR Associate Editor Rita Roberts at 815-875-4461, ext. 227, or at rroberts@bcrnews.com with questions.

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Easter around the county. The front page photo is just a glimpse of all the Easter egg hunts the BCR attended this past weekend. Check out this week’s Bureau County Journal for more Easter egg action.

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The BCR believes in our area young people, which is why we enjoy having young people write and take photos for this newspaper/website. If you see some of our grade school/high school/college-age young people out and about, make sure you tell them if you enjoy their work. Our youthful writers/photographers include Amelia Bystry of Princeton, Jesus O. Garcia of DePue, Alivia Hatten of Walnut, Haley Adams of Princeton, Danae Ross of Wyanet, Caleb Tomaszewski of Princeton, Jami Frasure of Bradford and Jack Click of Princeton.

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It’s beautiful in Bureau County right now. Hopefully you carve out some time in your busy schedules to take a leisurely drive through the countryside and around town to see the beauty spring offers. Take the whole family — Grandma and Grandpa too, and make it a family outing. Hopefully you’ll make some memories along the way. And remember ... you are important to me and the BCR.